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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28854009">Feels Like Drowning</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBeaumont/pseuds/LadyBeaumont'>LadyBeaumont</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Panic Attacks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:41:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,387</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28854009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBeaumont/pseuds/LadyBeaumont</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone in the West Wing has been finding it hard since the President's MS diagnosis got out but when Abbey finds CJ yelling at Carol she knows something's wrong.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Feels Like Drowning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Set in the time jump gaps in Manchester Parts I &amp; II, after CJ's mistake in the Haiti press briefing and before the gang going to Manchester.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"It's not hard Carol!" </p><p>Raised voices weren't unusual in the White House, especially not recently, but this one stopped Abbey Bartlet in her tracks. Josh and Toby could often be heard bellowing through the hallways but CJ wasn't particularly one for shouting, at least not like this, not at Carol.</p><p>"A fifth grader could spell better than this! How the hell did you even end up working here! It’s amateur hour." </p><p>CJ was red faced and laying into Carol. Abbey didn’t need to see anymore. </p><p>"CJ, a word in your office." Placing a hand firmly in the middle of her back, Abbey led CJ past Carol's desk and into her office, closing the door behind them. CJ immediately pulled away from her and charged over to the window on the other side of the room. With her back to her, Abbey could see CJ shoulders shaking as she took big gulping breaths until one seemed to be too many and she visibly deflated with a shuddering sigh. She was crying, Abbey was sure of it. She’d seen CJ cry once before, back on the campaign trail. She’d taken herself off to a side room but Abbey had stumbled across her in her hiding place while looking for five minutes peace for herself. She’d been mortified she’d been caught. Abbey got her drunk that night. </p><p>"Calm?" Abbey asked once she seemed to have gotten a hold back on her emotions.</p><p>"Yeah."  CJ turned around and started towards the door, refusing to make eye contact. "I need to speak to Carol." Abbey sidestepped, blocking the door and forcing CJ to look up at her. She wasn't getting away with it that easily. “I need to apologise.”</p><p>"Yeah, you do, but take a minute first. You might want to stop crying before you go back out there." Stray tears still slowly dripped down CJ's cheeks. She tried furiously to blink them back and swipe them away with the sleeve of her blouse but it was all in vain. </p><p>"I'm trying," she sniffed. </p><p>Abbey pulled a tissue from the nearby box on the filing cabinet and offered it to her. "Here." She sat down on the sofa and patted the space beside her. CJ ignored her, choosing instead to pace back and forth in front of her. "What's going on CJ? That can’t have just been about a spelling mistake."  </p><p>"No. It wasn’t. I mean it was. But it wasn’t. I shouldn’t have—I overreacted.” She felt guilty and embarrassed. “I'm just tired. I haven’t slept well in..." She let out a sigh and shook her head. Another tear rolled down her face. "I don't know, I just haven't slept. I can't think. I can't—" She started gasping for breath again, worse than before, "I feel like I'm drowning and I can't stop it." She wiped angrily at her face again, getting increasingly cross with herself as the tears kept coming, "I can't stop crying. Why can't I stop crying?" </p><p>"Because you're overtired and under a lot of stress," Abbey replied matter of factly.</p><p>"So is everyone else, but I don't see Toby being dragged across the bullpen in front of all the staff by the First Lady so he can have a breakdown in private in his office." </p><p>Abbey stood up, catching her arms and halting her pacing. "That's not his style but you're not the only one struggling CJ. Would you rather I'd just left you out there?" </p><p>"This isn't my style." </p><p>"I know." She’d always admired CJ’s composure. She was right, this really wasn’t normal for her but then the whole situation wasn’t normal. "You need a break."</p><p>CJ pulled away and started to pace again. "I don't, I've got so much to do."</p><p>"That wasn't a question CJ."</p><p>"Mrs Bartlet please." CJ wasn’t past begging. She could feel her heart racing in her ears. She had to convince her she was fine. </p><p>"You're exhausted and burnt out CJ. You’re snapping at your staff over spelling mistakes. You need a break."</p><p>"I'll be fine. I just need some sleep and I'll be fine." Abbey noticed the tremor in her hands before she clenched them into a fist in an attempt to stop it.</p><p>"Exactly, you need sleep. You need a break."</p><p>"I can't take a break. Not now. I can't." She was getting increasingly frantic with each sentence. "I can’t just go. I can do this. I need to fix this mess first. I need to keep going until we're stable. I need to just get through this and then I can—I can—," She stopped herself mid sentence, pressing the palms of her hands into her eyes. She couldn’t focus. She couldn’t finish the sentence.  Her breathing was fast and erratic.</p><p>"Sit down," Abbey said firmly, this time not giving CJ the choice to ignore her. "Take some deep breaths. Just breathe.” She needed to calm down. “Slowly. Come on, in...” she paused and let CJ try to breathe in time with her. Unable to catch her breath, she just gasped, struggling to take in a breath without immediately exhaling. “And out.” Abbey continued to guide her, counting slowly five seconds between each inhale and exhale, until she seemed to be leveling out enough for Abbey to move away from counting breaths and on to distracting her.</p><p>"Have you eaten yet?" </p><p>CJ shook her head, "I'll get something later." </p><p>“Keep breathing,” she reminded her, letting her concentrate on a few more breaths before questioning her further. "What did you have for lunch?”</p><p>"Carol got me a salad or something, I don't..." She tapered off, dismissively waving her hand. </p><p>"That salad?" A wilted green salad lay pushed to the corner of the desk, barely picked at. </p><p>"I've been busy." Her breathing was nearly back to normal. </p><p>"Come up to the residence and have dinner with me." She patted CJ on the hands as she said it and stood up waiting for her response. </p><p>"That's a kind offer Ma'am but I just want to go home and sleep." Sleep. She just needed sleep, and to not have to explain herself to Abbey.</p><p>"You've got to eat CJ. Jed's away, I'm on my own. Don't leave me to eat in that dining room all alone. I feel like Mrs Haversham rattling about up there.” </p><p>CJ barely cracked a smile. “Just promise not to burn the place down. Although, on second thoughts, that might distract the press for a while.” </p><p>“I'm not even sure footage of me dancing in the smouldering remains of the White House could distract them at the moment.” </p><p>“No.” CJ agreed sadly. </p><p>“Have you done a full lid?” </p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>“Go and see if Carol’s still about, apologise then come upstairs with me. I'll get a driver to take you home straight after.” </p><p>“Ma’am I—” </p><p>“You won't want to cook for yourself when you get in. We've got some of the finest chefs up there going to waste.” </p><p>“You just want to make sure I'm eating don't you?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>She knew it was a lost cause; Abbey Bartlet was one of the most stubborn women she knew. </p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“Try and sound a little more enthusiastic Claudia Jean.”</p><p>She plastered on a fake smile. “It sounds wonderful Ma’am.”</p><p>“That’s better. Now go on.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>The moment CJ opened her office door, Bonnie and Ginger scattered from where they'd been talking to Carol. </p><p>"Carol, can I speak to you for a minute?"</p><p>"Depends, are you going to speak to me or shout at me?” Carol was never this snippy with her, she knew she’d messed up, she deserved it.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."</p><p>"It's fine." Carol shrugged it off and started to shuffle papers around on her desk. She was feeling awkward and resorted back to trying to appease her boss. She was never really one for confrontation. </p><p>"No. It's not. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that in front of everyone. You didn’t deserve it.”</p><p>Carol’s head shot up from her pretend work as CJ‘s word touched a nerve. "No I didn't CJ." </p><p>"I'm sorry. I'm just tired and grouchy. It's no excuse, I know that, but I took it out on you and I shouldn't have. You’re great at your job, I don’t know what I’d do without you. I really am sorry. I—"</p><p>Carol cut her off with a smile, "I know. Just don't make a habit of it."</p><p>"I'm going to make it up to you. I promise." </p><p>“A pay rise?”</p><p>“You know I can’t, but I’ll find something. I promise.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“I really am sorry Carol.”</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>"Done?"</p><p>CJ nodded as she came back in the room, "I don't deserve her."</p><p>"Why don't you go and wash your face and I'll meet you upstairs in a minute."</p><p>CJ agreed and left, leaving Abbey alone once again in her office . She waited a few moments, giving CJ a head start, then sauntered out into the adjoining office.</p><p>"Carol,”</p><p>Carol sat up slightly straighter as Abbey spoke to her. "Yes Ma'am?" </p><p>"Do you know where CJ's go-bag is?"</p><p>Carol frowned, "Of course, but it’s not complete at the moment, she keeps staying here and using things out of it. I keep reminding her she needs to go home and sort it out but to be honest ma’am, right now, just getting her to go home is a task in itself. Does she need it? Is she going somewhere?"</p><p>"Not exactly, Carol, could you do me a favour?" </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>CJ had barely made it through the living room door before Abbey thrust a glass of chilled white wine into her hand. "It's a good one," she said.</p><p>CJ accepted it eagerly, "It will probably send me to sleep within five minutes." The pair walked over and slumped down into one of the large sofas. CJ let her head fall back against the cushions and momentarily closed her eyes, forcing herself to open them again seconds later for fear of falling asleep right there.</p><p>"How many hours did you get last night?"</p><p>"Three maybe?"</p><p>"And the night before?"</p><p>"Four? I think. I don't know, it's all just merged into one never ending day."</p><p>Abbey knew what she meant. She hadn't been struggling to sleep like CJ had but her outlook on time did seem to have changed. Events now were measured in her head as before everyone finding out about the MS and after. </p><p>"Working late or trouble sleeping?" Abbey asked.</p><p>"Both.”</p><p>"Are you taking anything?" </p><p>"I found some Ambien a few nights ago. I just felt even worse the next day. I couldn't think clearly. I need my brain to be working. I need to be alert."</p><p>That worried Abbey, "You shouldn't be taking that if you're not getting at least 7 hours."</p><p>CJ laughed, "There are people who sleep for seven hours?"</p><p>"Or more. None of them are in this building but I've heard rumors they exist." It was during this conversation that Abbey really noticed just how worn out CJ looked. Earlier she'd been red faced and puffy, crying would do that, but now she looked pale and sunken. Splashing her face before coming upstairs had washed off some of the concealer she'd been using to mask the dark circles she seemed to have permanently under her eyes these days. "You look pale." Abbey placed a hand on CJ's chin, lifting her head slightly towards the light. Her hand moved round to rest against her cheek, her thumb gently pulling down her lower eyelid. "Have you got enough iron in your diet or have you been living off salads and scraps from the Mess?"</p><p>CJ pulled away from her like a child pulling away from their mother as they cleaned a smudge off their face. "Ma'am."</p><p>"Enough with the Ma'am CJ. You're in my house now, as my guest."</p><p>"Dr. Bartlet."</p><p>Abbey fixed her with a glare.</p><p>CJ softened, "Abbey."</p><p>"Indulge me for five minutes and let me take a look at you. When's the last time you had a check up?"</p><p>"Rosslyn."</p><p>"That was over a year ago."</p><p>"Yeah well, I'll add it to my to do list."</p><p>Abbey got up and retrieved her black bag from across the room "In that case, let me save you the time." She sat back down next to CJ and opened the bag.  She pulled out her stethoscope and rested it round her neck before rummaging around again for a blood pressure cuff. "Sleeve up." </p><p>CJ reluctantly did as she was told. "Is this going to be covered by my insurance?" She asked. Abbey started to inflate the cuff, pressing the cold stethoscope against her forearm.</p><p>"You know what it's like CJ, we've got to make budget cuts where we can. What's your blood pressure like usually?"</p><p>"Fine."</p><p>There was silence for a few moments while Abbey slowly let the cuff deflate and listened.</p><p>"140 over 90, it's high but that's not surprising after today. I want you to get it checked again in a few days once you've had some rest. Have you had any other panic attacks?"</p><p>"I didn't have a panic attack," CJ bit back defensively.</p><p>"Sure looked like one to me."</p><p>"It wasn't a panic attack."</p><p>"Tell me, Ms Cregg,” heavy emphasis was placed on the Ms, “which school did you get your medical license at?"</p><p>CJ snapped. "I would have thought you, of all people, would be more wary of giving out unsolicited medical advice right now." </p><p>"Feel better getting that off your chest?" </p><p>"No," CJ shot back, still riled up. The tension crackled in the air as the two women stared at each other, almost daring each other to say something else. CJ caved first. "I should go."</p><p>CJ got up and made a few steps before Abbey raised her voice, "I get it. You're angry. It's understandable. You're angry with me. You're angry with Leo. You're angry with Jed."</p><p>She stopped and turned around unable to just ignore Abbey’s words. "I'm not angry—"</p><p>Abbey barreled on, "Hell I'm angry with Jed."</p><p>CJ huffed out a sarcastic laugh, "You have no reason to be angry. You knew."</p><p>"Oh, don't you worry, I have a many number of reasons to be angry with Jed, but that's between me and my husband. You however, you're too angry with yourself for making one mistake to even realise you're angry with everyone else. It's a shitty situation CJ and you're angry. It's completely understandable. But it's happened and you need to acknowledge that you're angry about it and move on. Bottling it up and stewing until you explode over a spelling mistake isn't going to make it better. It's not going to help you feel in control. That's the problem isn't it? You said it earlier you don't feel in control. You didn't see it coming so you can't control it. You could control the press briefings but you messed up that one so now you’re furious with yourself. You made a mistake CJ. Acknowledge it, move on.”</p><p>“I have acknowledged it. Everyone has acknowledged it.”</p><p>“And everyone’s moved on. We're just having to let this play out and do what we can. You can't control this CJ, but you know what you can do? You can take back control of yourself. You can control your health, take back control of your eating. Make sure you're eating three meals a day. That's something you can do. Get more sleep. Look after yourself. Honestly if I was your doctor I'd have you signed off for a few weeks." Panic flooded across CJ's face and Abbey’s voice softened, "Relax, I'm not going to, but get that blood pressure looked at and while you're there ask them to  check your iron levels as well, you're probably anemic. I mean it CJ. You need to look after yourself."</p><p>"Okay," CJ said. Abbey stared at her, "Okay," she repeated this time to prove she really was taking on her advice.</p><p>“The panic attacks.”</p><p>“Abbey…”</p><p>“The panic attacks,” Abbey repeated firmly. </p><p>“Are you going to tell Leo?”</p><p>“Are you asking me to conceal medical information?”</p><p>CJ sighed, stuck between a rock and a hard place. “No.” She knew she couldn’t ask Abbey to keep it secret but the last thing she needed now was more reason for Leo to think she wasn’t up to the job.</p><p>“I’m not going to tell him.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“Sit down.”</p><p>“It wasn’t the first was it?” CJ took a sip of her wine, she wouldn’t have to reply if she was drinking. “CJ if you don’t want me to tell Leo you’re going to have to talk.”</p><p>“I had one the other night, after the press briefing, once I got home. I was home. It was fine.” The thought had crossed Abbey’s mind but CJ had clearly been thinking about it, two panic attacks now, one at home, one in her office, what if there were more, what if it happened during a press briefing? </p><p>“It can’t have been nice on your own.”</p><p>“Not particularly. I used to have them as a kid, after my mom died. I haven’t had any in years and then I got home the other day and suddenly I couldn’t breathe. I worked it out eventually, rode it out. ”</p><p>“What stopped them when you were younger?”</p><p>“I don’t know. Just one day I realised I hadn’t had one for a really long time and I didn’t think about it again until the other day.”</p><p>“You really need to look after yourself CJ.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“Proper sleep. Proper food. It’s going to help stop them again. I want you to tell me if it happens again.”</p><p>CJ nodded.</p><p>“Seriously CJ, trying to cover this up to save yourself isn’t going to help. I need you to tell me.”</p><p>“I’m gonna get it under control.”</p><p>“Okay. But tell me.” She couldn’t stress it enough. She knew CJ hated to seem weak. She hated making mistakes. In a world full of men she fought to be seen as equal, to be just as good if not better. Abbey knew she’d do anything to cover anything she’d see as weakness. “It’s anxiety, you can’t just flip a switch and turn it off. It’s not a failure if it happens again. You can’t get help if no one knows CJ.”</p><p>CJ knew she was right but it didn’t make it easier. “Okay.”</p><p>"Okay. Let's eat." </p><p> </p><p>She wouldn't admit it but CJ was enjoying dinner with Abbey much more than she thought she would. It was nice to just sit down and eat. To not be reading through memos while shovelling down whatever take out Carol had thrust at her along with said memos. To not be falling through the door of her apartment at 11pm and throwing a tv dinner into the microwave, or worse still, falling through the door at 11pm and just going to bed because she was too exhausted to stab at the plastic lid with a fork.  It was nice to just sit and be still and eat something served on a plate.  </p><p>"I received an email from Danny today."</p><p>"Concannon?"</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"What did he want?"</p><p>"Said he was just checking in." CJ set her knife and fork down and took a big swig of her wine.</p><p>Abbey raised an eyebrow. "Does he often check in?"</p><p>"No. Haven’t heard from him since he disappeared."</p><p>"What did he say?"</p><p>"He told me to make sure I'm getting enough sleep." CJ let out a sad laugh.  "Just what I needed, Danny Concannon waltzing into my inbox and telling me I look like shit. That it's obvious I'm cracking up. He's got all this just from watching my press conferences. It's so obvious, anyone watching a TV can see I'm floundering."</p><p>"That's not true, you're not giving him any credit for how well he knows you. He's not just your normal news watching American. He knows you."</p><p>"Just when I thought I was getting—" CJ stopped herself, "he sends an email saying he's just checking in. Like he's just had a day off and wants to catch up on what he missed. It’s as if he still works here and he's managed to sweet talk Carol into letting him into my office and he’s just popped up to bug me."</p><p>"What were you going to say?"</p><p>"When?"</p><p>"When you said ‘just when I thought I was’, what were you going to say? Just when you thought you were getting over him?"</p><p>"No!" CJ tapped anxiously on the side of her glass. "Yes. No." CJ sighed. "How can you get over someone if you were never," she reached for the right words to say, "never under them in the first place—Oh God not like that—You know what I mean."</p><p>A naughty smirk crossed Abbey's face, "So you never got under him then?"</p><p>"No! He's a reporter, I'm the press secretary. I know everyone finds it so hard to believe but I am actually a professional. I know what's appropriate and what's inappropriate. I know what I'm doing."</p><p>"CJ no one doubts that." Abbey replied seriously.</p><p>"Leo does. Toby does. Both of them have warned me off Danny like I wasn't aware how inappropriate it would be for a press secretary to have anything other than a professional relationship with a reporter."</p><p>"They were just looking out for you."</p><p>"They don't trust me Abbey. That's the truth of it."</p><p>"Did you want a relationship?"</p><p>"I never even thought about it."</p><p>"Really? Not even in an alternate universe, under different circumstances?”</p><p>"Different circumstances are different circumstances. I can’t wallow in what ifs.” She set the wine back down and stabbed a little too forcefully at a carrot with her fork. “He was offered a job as editor at the paper. He didn't take it though. He said his work was in the White House and I got it, I really did. This work is important, he loves his job, I get that.” CJ set the fork back down again; the carrot never even making it near her mouth. “I get that. Of course three weeks later he's left to go roam the country. Not that I care, I mean he can do what he likes. It's nice to not having to look at his stupid face in the briefing room. No longer having him following me round like a lost puppy, giving me fish."</p><p>“But if he’d taken the job, different circumstances…”</p><p>“He didn’t.”</p><p>"He's been a jackass. Add him to your list of people you're mad at," Abbey said, picking up the wine bottle and refilling her glass. </p><p>"I'm not mad at him.”</p><p>"You're a little mad at him."</p><p>CJ smiled slightly, "Fine, I'm a little mad at him."</p><p>"Good. He's a jackass. More wine?" Abbey pointed the neck of the bottle in her hand towards her.</p><p>"No I should go home.” CJ said with a yawn. </p><p>"You're not going to have dessert?"</p><p>"No, this has been great but I should get going."</p><p>"It's late, stay here."</p><p>"No I really should go home."</p><p>“Think how nice that will be. No commute, an extra half hour in bed.”</p><p>“That does sound good.”</p><p>“Better than the coach in your office.”</p><p>CJ didn’t doubt that was true. She’d spent way too much time on the coach in her office lately and her body was feeling it. </p><p>”If you went to sleep now you'd get ,” Abbey looked down at her watch, “look at that, the magic seven hours.”</p><p>“For an Ambien?”</p><p>“I don't think you really want me giving you prescription medication right now. It would just be one more thing for when the subpoenas start. I'm sure I've got some over the counter stuff though?”</p><p>CJ could feel her resolve starting to weaken. “I haven't got any clothes for the morning.”</p><p>“Carol’s sent your spare clothes up. She said your go-bag isn't really ready for going at the moment but I'm sure I can lend you something to sleep in.” </p><p>“When did Carol--? I was never going home was I?”</p><p>“No,” Abbey said matter of factly, “Now come on. Let's find you a nightshirt and get you in bed.” </p><p> </p><p>***</p><p>Leo had not long arrived at the office when his phone rang and he didn’t like it. Margaret didn’t usually let calls through to him this early unless they were important. </p><p>“Leo I’ve got the First Lady for you.”</p><p>“Thanks Margaret,” he replied. He heard the click and then Abbey’s voice much too cheery for this time in the morning.</p><p>"Leo, it's Abbey.”</p><p>“Good morning Abbey, what can I do for you?”</p><p>“I've got CJ up here with me. She needs the morning off."</p><p>"Abbey. You're not her mother, you can't just call in sick for her."</p><p>"I'm not. I'm the First Lady and I'm saying she needs the morning off."</p><p>"Tell her she can't hide out with the First Lady. I heard about her screaming at Carol."</p><p>"I had hoped you wouldn't."</p><p>"I'm the Chief of Staff Abbey. These things get back to me. You hoped I wouldn't know what's going on in the office with my staff?"</p><p>"You just need to cut her some slack."</p><p>"This is not the time. If she can't handle it then I don't know why she's waiting... "</p><p>"Waiting for what?"</p><p>"Nothing."</p><p>"Leo?"</p><p>"It doesn't matter. She can't just take the morning off and hide because she lost her temper."</p><p>"She's not hiding. She spoke to Carol and apologised. In fact, she doesn't even know I'm calling you, she's still asleep."</p><p>"Well then I'll just send her a nice wake up call, what room is she in?"</p><p>"Leo."</p><p>"Why don't we all just take the morning off Abbey? Let's just close the White House down for the morning, the First Lady thinks we all need a nap."</p><p>"What an excellent idea! It sure sounds like you got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, might do you some good to have the morning off as well." </p><p>"Abigail I cannot just give CJ the morning off."</p><p>"It's just a few hours Leo. It will do her the world of good and she'll be back and raring to go. For me."</p><p>"I'm not happy about this."</p><p>He didn’t need to see her to know she was smirking, "You'll get over it."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I actually started writing this in 2017 and am finally posting it as a challenge to myself this year to finish, and post, the half written fics that are just lingering in my google docs. I hope you enjoyed and fingers crossed, if I actually change my entire personality and stop procrastinating there will be some more stories coming from me soon.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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